Device for coupling vehicles



June 10, 1924. 1,497,329

C. N. GOODALL DEVICE FOR COUPLING VEHICLES Filed Jan- 28 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 `.guna 10, 1924. 1,497,329

` C. N. GOODALL' DEVICE FORl COUPLING VEHICLES Filed Jn. 28 1920' 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2`

engine and tender of ordinary locomotives Patented .lune-1G, 1924.

UNITED TATES eLARENcENoEL eooDALL, OEDARLINGTON, ENGLAND.

DEVICE FOR COUPLING VEHICLES.

Application filed January-28, 1920.' Serial No. 354,12. Y

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS or THE ACT oEMARcH s, 1921, 41 STAT 1..,'13139 To all 'wh-0m t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CLARENCE NOEL Goon-l ALL,I a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Darlington, in the county of Durham, England, have invented certain newf and useful-Improvements in or RelatingtojDevices for Coupling Vehicles (for whichl 4I filed lan application iny England October 14, `1918, Patent No. 141,396), of which the following is a specification.' A

This inventionrelates to devices of V the kind comprising ball and socket joint connections' for coupling vehicles, and has for its chief object to provide an improvedarticulated connection more (particularly for coupling firmly together the ,under-carriage of. lduplex and other articulated locomotives although applicable also fork connecting the as well asin other cases where two. vehicles are required vto-becoupled together yso,l as toform an articulatedstructure whilst pre,- :venting or llimiting relative longitudinal movement of the two vehicles. i

lAccording to theinvention, the means of connection comprise aV centrallyl disposed member of sphericaly'hollow hemispherical ormsimilar form adapted to bey connected either directly or` by vmeans of springs lto the frame or under-carriage of the vehicle, cup-like or cup and ball like-members disposed co-aXially-on the longitudinal axis and oneither side of thecentrally disposed member, a means of connectingthe said cup,- like .or cup and ball like members axially through the centrally disposed member and a draw or push bar passing through` and connecting the two centrally disposed members ofa pair of vehicles by means of the eup-like or ball-like members, said barbeing connected: to the `cup-like or ball-like members either rigidly or by means of vsprings external to the draw or push bar.

In order that the invention may be clean ly yunderstood and readilycarr-ied intoA efkfect, the same will now` be more fully described by the aid of the accompanying drawing, inv which- 1- Figure 1 is a longitudinal and Partly sectional lelevation of the Ldraw or push bar coupling means.

`Figure 2 1s a plan of Figure l.

Figure parts removed.

3 is an end View of Figure l with Figure 4 is an enlarged sectionaldetail.

Figure 5 is a sectional detail View o'f a modification. Y I n Figure 6 is a sectional elevation show-A ing how thedraw or push bar may be fitted with `coupling attachment. y

Figure 7 is a similarA view to Figure 6 showing a modification.

Figure 8 is a detail of centralizing, an additional springl or springs beingl employed to maintain :the draw or push barcin the horizontal position when uncoupled. A l y I y yIiiglire'Q shows a further ,modiiicationfof the centralizing means. p'v y Figure 1() is a detail showing the. cen trally disposed member ,t provided i with square trunnions;

or push bar, whilst b, b yare balls or'spheres formed with an axiall bore oropening b' through which the ends of thejbarpass. Each ball -or sphere is made integral with showing one method Referring to Figures l to. 3, .a isthe a central iiangeorplate b? capableofattachment tothe frame c, shownV inbreken lines.

Fitting on opposite sides of each sphereb, aretwo sleeve-like members d, d, each of cup vor socket formation at one end to iit against thesphere, and thev rod or linkepartofthe draw or push bar a is furnished with collars `a to abut against theputer endsfiofkv the inner sleeve members al to hold them' in position against the sphere, whilst the extremitiesgo'a2 ofthe rod (see Figure l) ipass through the sleeve-like members d and vsphere p to receive' appropriate securing Ameans',such as lock nuts,v for holdingrthe parts together and for keeping the -cupjor l concave and convex portions of the sleeve like-members d against the sphere. l'Iheex- -tremities a2 of the rod are preferably jourfnalled in the sleeve-like members d yandpass loosely through the sphere b with sufficient..

.spheres'they may be of hemispherical formation as shown at e, Figures 5 and `7, theouter part f, constituting one of the sleeve-like members, being correspondingly designed to fit within the concave recess?)3 of the flange b2. In lieu of the sphere or hemispheres i.

may, if desired, be made round and either,

free to revolve or fastened with a. key or other suitable device. The central portion,

of the draw or push bar a may be of any appropriate form, Which Will withstand sud-y den `shocks such as bufhng shocks, and may be l 'rvided with coupling devices of lany desiredty'pe. Thus, Figures 6 and-show the improved draw or push bar fitted with ciipling hooks l and bufhng or draw springs m" vone loneafchy side of the` spherical or henii-v spherical connection, ivhilstvan auxiliary c'etralizing spring n, s ee dotted linesFigureir, may be arranged on the outer side oftheflangelbz. In' Figure 8 a modification is:f shvvn in Which'the centralizing isV effectedby means of coiled'springs nzinterp''sed between the flange b2 and bracket-like supportsc, on the frame' c. Figure Qshows ai 'farther 'modified -inethod of c'entralizing comprising auxiliary leaf springs When tliedrav'v 'or push bar is provided With. coupling hoks'ione of the sleeves d may in some cases be made vin one piece With the partl carrying thelcoupling link. For' lubricating thel contacting surfaces of the spheres ZJ' or heni'spheres e andthe sleeve-like members ,aiid f, a tube g,`see l `igl1res 1 and', may lead' from an oil cup 7L tofan oilduct or channel )it `Liners' @Figure 4,-of -ai'i'yfap'- pr''priate material may bev inserted `Within the sleeve-likejmembers d, d, and the membei*r #Figure 5, totake upl the Wear betvveen the c'up and socket members and the sphere of'hmi'spheres, and in this, connection the r'dlania'y, be formed with flanges or'collars `a'fj""fo`r`" bearing against said liners "'What' I' claim and desire to secure b. Letters Patent of the United States is Il `A vehicle coupling device comprising a member having a bore therethroughlengthr- Wise of the couplinggsaidr member being vproivided?WithV two spherically curvedsi'irfaces surrndin'g the axis of said bore andhaving integral radially projecting means adapted to beattachedto a vehicle, a draw and pushr barv havingy an integral portion extending through the bore in said membeiytwo' sleeves fitted-"on said 'bar and eachhaving at-on'e eiida surface of sphericalv contour conformingtofand yengaging the adjacent curved surface on the member adapted to be attached-to the vehicle, and means for maintaining the sleeves contact With thespherically curved surfaces o n' the member a'd'aptedto be attaehed to a vehicle.

"2; rA vehicle coupling devicev comprising a, meinberhav'ng a bore therethrough lengthvviseglof theycoupling, said member being pro- -v'idedlwith two spherically curved surfaces spherically curved surrounding the axis vof said bore and havand 'provided with a bore extending lengt-h4 Wise' ofthe ';oupli-n'gV and -having'ftvorspheri-``-` cally curved surfaces surrounding'thefaxis of the bore,a draw andpush bar'haviri'gV an" integral vportion extending `through the `re` in said member and provided at one side oflsaid member with a radially projecting abutment, a sleeve on said bfar With'nefen ncontact with 'said abut-mem and' fiftsfotlrei-i end shaped to vconform to andconta'ctwth one of the spherica'lly curved-surfaces 'on the member adapted tube attachedlto' s vehieie,

a second sleeve on the barhaving oneeii'dr shaped to conform tothe otherf'spheri'cally curved surface on the member adap'tedto be attachedto a vehicle, andmean's kadjust'aif ble along the bar forl maintainingjc'ontact between bot-h said Sleeves and' the spherically curvedsurfaces on theinember adaptedvto be attached to a vehicle.

4f.. A vehicle coupling devcejcompris'ing a member 'adapted to be attached toa-"vehicle and provided with a borey extending lengthwiseof the coupling 'and having two spherically curved Asurfaces rsurounding the axisof the bore, adraw and push bar"hav. ing one endvextending through the bore` in said member, two sleeves fitted to the Bar on opposite sides of the member adaptedzt be attached toavehicle and each having one end enlarged and shaped to conform to and bear against the adjacent sph'ericallyv curved surface ofy salidrmember, and means "for effecting movement ofjsaid sleevesy length- Wise of the bar and maintaining th'en'il inengagement With the spheri'cally 'curved-sur.- faces on the member adaptedto' be attached to a vehicle.

5. A vehicle coupling device comprising a member adapted to' be attached to al vehicle and provided-With a bore extending length'- Wise of the coupling and having twoconce'- tric spherically curved surfaces surrounding the axis of the bore, a drawandpushbar having one end extending through the bore in said member, andtwo sleeves fittednon said bar and each having one endsh-apedtol conform to and contact with the adjaeent surface on the meiber adapted to be attached to a vehicle;

6. A vehicle coupling device comprising a member adapted to be attached to a vehicle and provided with a bore extending lengthwise of the coupling and having two concentric spherically curved surfaces surrounding the axis of the bore, a draw and push bar having a reduced end section extending through the bore in said member, an annular abutment being provided between the body of the rod and said reduced section, a sleeve surrounding the bar with one end in contact with said abutment and having its other end conforming to and bearing against the adj acent spherically curved Surface on the member adapted to be attached to a vehicle, a second Sleeve on the reduced section of the draw and push bar having one end conforming to and bearing against the other spherically curved surface on the member adapted to be attached-to a vehicle, and means adjustable longitudinally of the reduced section of the draw and push bar and engaging the second of said sleeves for maintaining contact between the sleeves and the spherically curved surfaces on the mem` ber adapted to be attached to a vehicle.

CLARENCE NOEL GOODALL. 

